India vs South Africa: We turned the corner a while ago but needed results to back that up, says Mark Boucher

The
administrative
crisis,
retirement
of
star
players
and
racism
allegations
hampered
South
Africa
cricket
over
the
past
24
months.

“We
spoke
about
our
journey
and
not
worrying
about
the
series,”
he
said
at
an
online
media
interaction
after
South
Africa
won
the
third
ODI
against
India
by
four
runs
here
on
Sunday
(January
23)
to
secure
a
series
whitewash
after
having
won
the
Test
series
2-1
earlier.

India
vs
South
Africa
ODI
Series
2022:
Full
List
of
Award
Winners,
Player
of
The
Series,
Records,
Statistics

“We
wanted
to
win
3-0.
We’ve
been
through
the
hard
times
and
only
once
you’ve
been
through
the
hard
times
do
you
really
appreciate
the
good
ones.

“We
appreciate
this,
but
our
feet
are
firmly
planted
on
the
ground.
This
is
just
a
nice
chapter
in
our
continued
journey.
We
have
a
captain
in
Tembs
(Bavuma)
that
really
is
demanding
on
results
and
that’s
good,”
Boucher
added.

The
former
wicket-keeper
batter,
who
faces
a
disciplinary
hearing
into
allegations
of
racism,
refused
to
respond
to
a
question
on
the
lows
during
his
stint
as
coach
and
if
the
success
against
India
during
the
summer
was
one
of
the
highlights.

“I
think
you
will
appreciate
that
I
can’t
answer
that,”
Boucher
said
but
chose
to
dwell
on
the
team’s
progress.

“The
progression
has
been
great.
I
think
we
turned
the
corner
a
while
ago
from
a
team
perspective
but
obviously
we
needed
the
results
to
back
it
up.

“We
tried
a
few
things
in
Covid
times.
We
had
to
get
a
deeper
squad.
We
gave
a
lot
of
opportunities
to
a
lot
of
players
and
I
think
we
are
starting
to
reap
the
rewards
now,”
he
added.

India
vs
South
Africa:
CSA
director
of
cricket
Graeme
Smith
thanks
BCCI
for
successful
tour

The
coach
said
he
was
happy
that
South
Africa
had
a
settled
batting
order
and
depth
both
in
the
pace
and
spin
bowling
departments.

“We’ve
got
some
good
options
now,”
he
said
and
highlighted
the
performances
by
newcomer
Marco
Jansen
and
the
way
Lungi
Ngidi
led
the
pace
attack
in
the
absence
of
the
rested
Kagiso
Rabada.

He
said
that
the
team
is
in
good
spirits.

“If
you
walk
into
that
change
room
now
the
guys
are
obviously
happy
that
they’ve
won
the
series
but
their
feet
are
on
the
ground,”
said
Boucher.

Boucher
said
it
was
great
to
see
wicketkeeper-batter
Quinton
De
Kock
back
in
the
team
after
his
sudden
decision
to
quit
Tests.

India
vs
South
Africa:
Quinton
de
Kock
slams
sixth
ODI
century
against
India,
equals
AB
de
Villiers’
record

“It
was
great
to
see
him
come
out
and
play
the
way
that
we
all
know
Quinny
can
play;
the
way
that
he
has
been
when
he’s
at
his
best.
He’s
got
that
sort
of
freedom
about
his
game.

“You
can’t
have
all
six
of
your
batters
play
like
that,
but
you
can
certainly
have
one
or
two.
On
their
day,
if
they
score
a
hundred,
more
often
than
not
they’re
going
to
win
you
a
game.

“It’s
great
to
see
‘Quinny’
back
and
smiling
again.
He’s
got
a
daughter
now,
who
he’s
probably
looking
forward
to
getting
back
to.
That
puts
life
into
perspective,
as
a
lot
of
people
who
are
dads
will
know,”
Boucher
said
of
De
Kock,
who
scored
his
sixth
ODI
ton
against
India
on
Sunday
(January
23).